An Increase In i-pads In Hospitals Could Mean More i-pad Thefts; The Alpha Bug Tags Prevent Pilfering and Protect Patient Information

Apple is eyeing the prospects of becoming more involved in the growing healthcare market. The computer giant already has a number of medical apps available on the i-pad for health care professionals and even medical students. Additionally i-pads and tablets have been found to be useful in “remote viewing of medical imaging scans”, “Mobile devices have been proven to improve contact between HCP’s (Health Care Providers) and their colleagues”, “Mobile devices are invaluable tools for HCP’s to use to search or access medical literature, as other informational sources.” P&T, May 2014, 39(5): 356-364, “Mobile Devices and Apps for Health Care Professionals: Uses and  Benefits”, C. Lee Ventola, MS, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4029126/  In a story in fastcompany.com titled, “ipads in Every Hospital: Apple’s Plan to Crack the $3 Trillion Health Care Sector, by Christina Farr, 03/18/17, “For Apple, the $3 trillion health care sector offers a lot of potential for growth for its ipad.” The article adds, “iPhones and iPads have been used by some hospitals for more than five years, but it is only recently the company went public about its interest in healthcare.” https://www.fastcompany.com/3068773/ipads-in-every-hospital-apples-plan-to-crack-the-3-trillion-health-care-se With this anticipated growth of more i-pads in the healthcare market, there has to be an increased concern over the protection of these devices. i-pad theft has already taken place in medical facilities. Just recently an incident took place in Leamington, Ontario, a thief stole “several” ipads from the Leamington District Memorial Hospital’s main lobby. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/leamington-hospital-ipads-1.3973889 . i-pad theft is going to balloon as a result of this increased footprint but it can be curtailed if hospitals take the time to install Classic N10 towers at the entry/exit doors and places a Bug Tag 2 on each mobile device.
     

The Bug Tag 2 by Alpha Security is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag that is attached directly to mobile devices. The tags are a two-piece design, part is an adhesive that holds the tag on the item to be protected and the other is the housing unit held in place by the adhesive. The housing unit has the alarm and radio frequency (rf) coil that is the heart of the device. The tag emits a rf signal that can be picked up by a Checkpoint Classic N10 EAS tower when carried within the detection range of the tower. When that happens, the tower sounds an alarm and flashes LED lights that serve to warn employees a tagged mobile device has been detected. Employees responding to the alarm determine the cause of the alarm and recover the unit. You might be wondering what would prevent a determined thief from simply pulling a Bug Tag off and conducting an i-pad theft that way. First, the rounded edges of the tag ensure the device fits flush with the i-pad making it difficult for a thief to pry it off. Second, there is a tamper alarm built into the tag that causes it to activate an internal alarm if a person were to attempt to pry it off of a mobile device.
     

There may also be concern by some that EAS pedestals would be too big for the entrances and exits of hospitals and clinics that want to use Bug Tags to protect i-pads. Most people are familiar with the large pedestals that are encountered in retail store doorways. The solution to that problem is to install the Checkpoint Classic N10 pedestal. This tower has a small profile that was first designed with very small retail stores in mind that have limited space. The tower provides practically the same power and detection range as the bigger units while taking up a fraction of the floor and entryway space. 
     

So why am I concerned about i-pad theft or any other mobile medical device, for that matter? Because the use of any medical device that stores patient information must be protected. Whether the device is used for check-ins in a hospital waiting room or registration at a pharmacy minute-clinic, patient information has to be protected from addresses to date of births. Theft of such devices exposes the patient to identity theft or it can lead to prescription fraud and insurance fraud. Significant breaches of patient information can also lead to massive fines from the Department of Health and Human Services.
     

We’ve all seen the contributions that Apple products have made in our society, so it is exciting to think about what they may add to medical advancements in the future. As hospitals increase the number of i-pads in their facilities it is important that appropriate security measures be taken to keep them safe. The Alpha Bug Tag 2 and Classic N10 pedestals offer the optimal security benefits to protect patients and property. 

Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.